turned and took a few more steps toward his truck before he stopped again. When he turned around, it was as if he was looking at her for the first time. As if he was truly seeing her for once.
A little thrill ran down Kerri’s spine. Lord have mercy, he was one fine-looking man. His skin was a deep red-brown, like the wood of a polished cypress knee, and his eyes were tawny gray like Spanish moss. Everything about him screamed South Carolina Low Country.
And this fine-looking man was actually staring at her, his eyebrow rising just so. He put his big ol’ hands on his oh-so-slim hips. “So, uh, when’s quitting time?” he asked.
Sweet Jesus, was the man about to suggest dinner somewhere? Wow. She looked down at her watch to avoid showing any eagerness, but then she blew it by saying, “In about five minutes.” She held her breath and stopped herself from looking up.
This was so wrong. He had a thing for Jess Blackwood. Didn’t he? Otherwise he might have noticed her last July, when they’d played on the same softball team and she’d worn her tight-fitting yoga pants.
“So, uh, you doing anything? Maybe we could grab some chops over at Aunt Annie’s Kitchen or some shrimp at Rafferty’s or something,” he said.
She exhaled and met his gaze. She’d be a fool to let this happen. She knew better than to mess with some other woman’s man. Assuming, of course, that he was Jess’s man. Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t seen any solid proof that Colton and Jess had a thing going. He popped into her office from time to time, but she’d never seen any public displays of affection.
Maybe it was just gossip. Maybe they were just friends.
Or not.
So instead of saying yes, she folded her arms across her chest and asked, “What’s the matter? Did Jess stand you up?”
“I didn’t have a date with her,” he said in a tight voice. “We’re just friends.”
Kerri heard the twist in his voice—as if he wanted out of the friend zone and into something more intimate. She should say no. She should turn and walk away from him.
But she didn’t. A chance like this came along once in a blue moon. If Jess was too blind to see what she was throwing away, then shame on her.
Kerri gave him her best seductive smile. “I’d love to have a chop over at Annie’s Kitchen,” she said. “Just give me a moment to close things up.”
* * *
Tuesday morning, Jessica sat at her office desk doodling on a legal pad, still too upset by Colton’s behavior the previous evening to focus on any work.
His words kept circling her mind: Let’s give them something to talk about.
She didn’t want to give anyone anything to talk about. She’d already been talked about way too much in this town. And ever since her disastrous run-in with rumor and gossip, she’d endeavored never to give anyone anything to hold over her.
She’d been the model of propriety. She’d been polite. She’d been careful with her friendships and relationships. She’d always tried to tell the truth when she could, and when people resisted the truth or the truth was too brutal, she would say nothing at all.
Except yesterday, when she’d spoken her mind to Colton. And look where that had landed her. She had no clue how she was going to salvage her friendship with him.
Just then Kerri peeked around the door to the stairs.
“Hey,” her landlady said. “I made a fresh pot of coffee, and things are slow downstairs. I thought you might like a cup.”
Kerri came striding into the office looking like a runway model. She stood almost six feet tall in ballet flats and was rocking one of her shop’s cute little sundresses. Accessorized to the max, Kerri was the epitome of classy Southern womanhood with a savvy attitude.
Kerri handed Jessica a cup festooned with daffodils and then sank down into the single side chair.
Jessica took a sip. The coffee was a bold, flavorful roast.
“So,” Kerri said, settling back in her chair, “you working on Topher Martin’s house?”
Jessica blinked a couple of times. Living in Magnolia Harbor meant everyone knew everyone’s business, but the speed with which news traveled still surprised her. “So you know about that?”
“You were apparently seen getting onto Topher Martin’s yacht yesterday. And since it’s become common knowledge that he wants to run away to Lookout Island and you’re an architect…” Her voice trailed off.